Sonora Pass and Ebbets Pass Ride from Topaz Lodge, NV during HSVROC 2010
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Photos by KC and used with his permission
KC from San Jose, CA is leading this two pass Ride over Sonora Pass {CA Hwy 108} and returning via Ebbets Pass {CA Hwy 4}.
Here is his 225 mile route covering elevations from 1,500 feet to 9,624 feet.
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The four are getting ready to set off on their Day Ride.
Phil T, Tony D, Rainman and KC
Leaving the Topaz Lodge heading for Sonora Pass at 0830It is still fairly early in the day as the Group of Four Riders reach their highest elevation for the Ride.
The four riders are KC from San Jose, CA {leading}; Phil T. from Sacramento, CA; Tony D. from Phoenix, AZ and Rainman from Atlanta, GA.
Rainman
KC the ring leaderIt is all downhill along CA Hwy 108, down the western slope of the Sierra-Nevada Mountains.
Beautiful scenery and nice pavement all the way until you again reach civilization.
Still pretty high up
One of many photo ops along the way
Spectacular views abound
Here is Tony D obstructing an otherwise beautiful scene :-)Eventually the small group make it into the Foothills and the southern portion of the California Mother Lode. CA Hwy 49 runs the entire length of California's Gold Country.
They stop to visit Columbia State Historic Park:
The town's old Gold Rush-era business district has been preserved with shops, restaurants and two hotels. Visitors have the chance to time-travel to the 1850s, imagining life when gold miners rubbed shoulders with businessmen and the other residents in Columbia. Visitors can experience a bygone era watching proprietors in period clothing conduct business in the style of yesterday. There are opportunities to ride a 100 year-old stagecoach, pan for gold, and explore the real working businesses of Columbia.
Loading up the StagecoachA few short miles more to Murphys, CA and their lunch stop at the Ironstone Winery.
Riding along Parrot's Ferry RoadThe Ironstone Winery has this display of a very large 44 pound gold nugget.
After lunch our intrepid riders head back up the hill to the lower Ebbets Pass on CA Hwy 4.
It may be lower but the scenery is equally as breath taking. The road itself narrows and loses its center line as you near the summit. Shear drop offs of many hundred feet with no guard rails. This road is not to be traveled at high speeds.
Hwy 4 is a bit steep in sections
One of many lakes along the route
It has been a very wet Winter and Spring and the streams are really flowing
Another photo op
A picture says it all
A lot of flowing water
Notice how narrow the road is at the summit
This lake is pretty high up in the mountainsThe riders make it back to Topaz Lodge with a full day of amazing views to remember for a lifetime.
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